CONCERNED CITIZEN CAMPAIGNS FOR THE PURCHASE OF NEW PRESIDENTIAL JET: OFFERS MK200, 000 AS STARTER PACK

Debate is refusing to die on whether the country should purchase a new Presidential Jet following a picture that went viral on social media showing President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika stranded at the airport en route to UK for Commonwealth summit, a concerned citizen has launched a campaign for the purchase of new Jet.

Speaking in an interview with FaceofMalawi reporter, the concerned citizen identified as Sydney A Ndembe said it is very disheartening to note that all countries across the world have their own national jet to carry the President around while Malawi has not.

Ndembe said the situation is putting the President of the country [President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika] under panic when he wants to travel abroad citing the recent trip to United Kingdom (UK) where he had to spend 27 hours to get there.

While saying the issue of the whereabouts of the previous Presidential Jet sold former President Dr. Joyce Banda is not an issue, Ndembe said through this campaign he want to source money amounting to MK12 billion.

“Here, chief of executives of various companies have company vehicles to ferry them to various places of official or personal. We never heard that any of them was at bus stop waiting for a a bus to go anywhere. Now we hear of our President has spent hours to get on a plane to go on official trips. Have we no conscious at all? Are we not ashamed?

“The Jet we had is said to have been bought at twenty million US dollars. It may be possible to get another at about twenty million US dollars which translate into MK12 billion,” he said.

As one way of showing his commitment toward the purchase of new Jet, Ndembe offered MK200, 000 as Starter Pack for the campaign.

He then appealed to well-wishers across the country to join him, saying everything is possible.

“Now my appeal to well-wishing Malawians is this, why can we not contribute to purchase our own new plane which no one will point finger at us,” said Ndembe.

He said if one can offer to contribute MK120, 000 it means the campaign will just need 100,000 people to reach the targeted MK12 billion.

President Mutharika has on several times ruled out the possibility of purchasing a new Jet soon despite rumours being live on the social media that he planning to buy a new Jet.

Recently, Mutharika received heavy criticism from all corners for hiring a Jet to United Nation General Assembly at a cost of MK300 million.